Predator or Prey?
by Rae Himura
Summary: Prowl unblocked Lockdown's frequency on a whim. That whim turns to curiosity, and curiosity to confrontation. Will confrontation turn to something more? Or will an Autobot family interfere? Rated for later chapters
1. Predator

_A slim black and gold mech crouched high in the foliage of a forest outside of Detroit, fighting to control the nervous whir of fans from his internal systems. His circuits were bundled tight, sensors on high alert. With every rustle and snap of movement, he tensed._

_What was he doing here? Why hadn't he told the others? He had tracked his prey to this area, but for all his secrecy, he was at a serious tactical disadvantage. He had no idea what he could be walking into. What did the bounty hunter want?_

***

Prowl had unblocked the frequency on a whim.

It was a handful of cycles ago, after a tense stand-off with Prime. In the midst of an argument, the frustrated blue 'bot had pulled rank, vocals dripping with condescension. Prowl switched to his alt form with an indignant snap and sped off, wires crossed at the blatant assertion of authority. Yes, command structure was important, but his leader just seemed to … _revel_ in it.

He was acting like a protoform, he knew. But how else to purge the slow-building resentment of the past stellar-cycles? He could return to his family unit with a new reservoir of patience, all because of one empowered action. And it was relatively safe; it wasn't as if the bounty hunter would try to contact him again after so long.

The next week kept the Autobots busy putting out small fires, with a coterie of humans escaping from prison to cause havoc. Prowl had almost forgotten about his little secret by the time they delivered the last one to the police. The minute Prime mentioned heading back, Prowl sped off ahead of the others. His wiring was coiled tight after the busy week – any attempts at small talk would inevitable devolve into sarcastic sniping.

He was long out of sight of his team when he felt the tell-tale tingle of an incoming transmission. He had a sinking feeling in his core even before he checked the frequency.

"Lockdown?" He sounded more surprised than the angry he was going for.

"Hey, kid. How's it going?"

"What do you want?" the Autobot growled impatiently. Much better.

"Oh, I'm so hurt," drawled the gravelly voice on the other end. "You don't sound happy to hear from me."

Prowl's vocals held a smirk. "I thought you'd get that message when I told you never to contact me again."

"Hey, you're the one who unblocked me. Sending some mixed signals there, aren't we?"

"I don't have time for this. Stay _off_ my comm line, bounty hunter." With that, he severed the link. Coolant rushed through his system with a near audible gushing. In the mood he was in, the last thing he needed was to hear from that obnoxious free agent.

And in the mood he was in, the last thing he could do was admit the older mech had a point.

* * *

Prowl stood, still and silent. The woods near the base were alive with the sounds of life. Trees danced in the wind, birds called to each other from invisible roosts and everywhere small organics swarmed through the dense foliage. The mech's optics and auditory sensors were off; he was blind to the outside world. All he had left was a a subtle sense of electromagnetic energy. With a focusing release of air, he slipped into an exercise to navigate by his own electrical field.

A high kick there, over that branch. A jump kick ending just before the trunk.

A punch through a hole in the tangled brush. Quick steps avoid a small mammal at his feet.

Why had Lockdown contacted him?

The next kick landed with surprising force. The shudder of contact spread through his pede. Optics booted up to the sight of a gaping whole where a branch had been. Third time this megacycle.

His servo grazed the surface of the wound, silently apologizing to the life form he had injured. Apparently this exercise was too dangerous in his current state of mind. He hadn't been this distracted since their first encounter with the neutral mech. Something about him seemed to stick in Prowl's processor.

He shook himself firmly. It was nothing but stray code. He should be able to block it out and focus on the task at hand. Where had all his training gone?

Into a junk file, apparently, because he was accessing a frequency he should have re-blocked solar-cycles ago.

"Well, isn't this a surprise." The voice on the other end was thick with self-satisfaction. "I thought you weren't talkin' to me, kid."

Prowl's vocals were dark. "That was before I realized your signal originated from earth. What are you doing here, Lockdown?"

"Worried that I might be a threat to your little planet?"

"My teammates and I are dedicated to protecting this planet and its inhabitants. If you're here, it can mean nothing but imminent danger."

"Again, I'm so hurt." Not false offense, but sarcasm. And something gentler – bemusement? "Isn't it possible that I'm here for completely innocent reasons?"

"No."

Lockdown's laugh was rough, but a note of genuine humor lurked there. For a moment, Prowl could almost relax. Almost.

"You'd be right, most of the time. But this is a special case. Needed a little vacation, and where better to relax than this pit-spawned back sector of the galaxy?"

"Hn." Prowl's vocals were tight. "A vacation? Somehow, I imaged you'd be the type to enjoy more … active pursuits."

"What, a pleasure model and some high grade?" Prowl could almost see his teasing optics. "Gets old after a while."

"Forgive me if I find it hard to believe you."

"If you're so suspicious, meet me in person." His voice took on a visceral, insistent quality. "We could have a little … interrogation."

Prowl shivered as the ghost of a current flowed through his sensors. The disciplined Autobot had no choice but to ignore his double meaning. "I don't see what that would prove."

"Figures you'd be intimidated," Lockdown said with an audible smirk. "You could always bring your faithful leader and the rest of the little family along for protection."

Prowl's visor narrowed to a slit. Intimidated? Hardly. "Here's a better idea. Why don't you leave this sector before I hand-deliver you to the elite guard."

"See, I don't think you'll do that," the bounty hunter drawled lazily. "You're like me. You prefer a more … personal touch. "

The only response was faint static. Lockdown chuckled gruffly. "Keep my offer in mind, kid. I found myself a nice secluded spot, so I'll be staying put for a while. You know my frequency."

"Unfortunately." Prowl disconnected with a snap.

He would go. He would stop whatever Lockdown was planning. And he would go alone.

***

_The ninjabot's moment of nerves fled as soon as he caught sight of the bounty hunter below. Something much more integral to his programming than fear or questions or even allegiance took over. He leapt silently from branch to branch, sensors opened wide and processor running clear and hot. His electrical field clung tight to his form, all evidence of his presence masked from his hulking prey._

_He had spent megacycles tracing the comm signals point of origin, megacycles more laying in wait amid the upper branches. Now, the effort paid off in energon-rushing moments of fluid movement – the hunt. Despite himself, Prowl felt a spreading, girder-deep satisfaction._

_Lockdown emerged into another small clearing and stopped suddenly. Prowl could see no sign of his ship or any equipment, but the other mech had already proven his skill with cloaking technology. He waited, prepared to follow at the first sign of moment. But not prepared for his prey to speak over his spiked shoulder._

"_That's enough playing ninjabot. Why don't you come down here and have some real fun?"_


	2. Prey

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. If I did, we'd have a lot more of this. So what if it's a kid's show?**

**Thanks for all the feedback, glad to know there's so much interest. Don't be fooled by the chapter titles, this will be continuing. No promises on frequency, because college comes first. But I'll do my best.**

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For a frozen moment, Prowl searched his processor for options. Nothing. He slid out of the tree fluidly, caution and the sting of pride tensing his form. His thinned visor focused on Lockdown, who turned to face him with a smirk. A moment passed in silence.

Prowl's vocals were slow to boot. "How did you know?"

"Give me a little credit, kid." His vocals were thick with satisfaction. "I hand you my location on an open comm line, then tell ya I'll be here for a while. I was trackin' you before you entered the tree line. I gotta hand it to ya though, couldn't follow you after that. Just assumed you were keepin' up."

Prowl's servo twitched towards his shuriken, his tensors clenched tight. "Just one of my many skills."

"And how often do ya get to use those skills cleanin' up after these organics?"

Prowl visor quirked at the question. "We are here to counter the Decepticon presence in the area."

"And when was the last time ya heard a squeak out of ole megs and his lot?"

"Why should that bother me? I'm not like you; I am thankful for the time of peace."

Lockdown just smirked at his sarcasm. "Keep tellin' yourself that, kid."

"Why would I wish for my life to be in constant danger?"

"Because you _are_ like me. You live off the thrill. What else is there?"

"Why do you care?" This conversation was ridiculous. They were tensed for battle, ready to pounce on the first sign of movement, and yet speaking so casually. This had to be a trap.

Lockdown chose that moment to soften his stance, as if he had hacked the ninjabot's processor. Prowl just watched him, visor thinned.

"I don't," the older mech said simply. "But I'll be here for a while, and I'm easily bored." He took a step forward. Prowl didn't flinch. "So I got a proposition for ya."

"Why are you here, Lockdown?"

Lockdown took another step closer, oozing confidence. "What, not curious?"

"I will not enter into an agreement blind."

"What makes you think I'll tell the truth this time?"

Prowl's processor whirred, then came to a simple decision."Are you here after a bounty?"

"No." It was simple, direct. Prowl believed him.

"What is your proposition?"

Lockdown's smirk was entirely too satisfied.

"You're bored." It was a statement, not a question. Prowl waited in pointed silence for him to continue. "You haven't had a real challenge in decacycles. You're goin' stagnant."

At that, Prowl bristled despite himself. "I assure you, my skills are still sufficient to defeat _you_."

"Yeah?" In the next moment, he was moving. Prowl wasn't ready.

He barely managed to tense his arms for a block as Lockdown's heavy form crashed into him, pinning the younger mech against a tree. He was immobilized. His processor flickered through the situation in stages: Lockdown's servos pressing his wrists into the bark, the grind of a green chassis against his own, the older mech's legs immobilizing his lower joints.

Prowl cursed himself for getting caught off guard. Somehow, over the course of the maddening conversation, he had let himself relax. He struggled against the hold, searching for a weak spot to exploit. But Lockdown was a professional.

He didn't say a word – didn't have to – just leered down with that ego-soaked smirk. Prowl's processor whirred hot with warning signals. The bounty hunter could offline him in a hundred different ways from this position, with little resistance. And when he looked up into glowing red optics, he saw that knowledge reflected there. Lockdown knew the position he was in, knew that Prowl knew it too, and he was dragging out the moment to exquisite torture. Prowl let out a rush of hot air and pushed futilely against the hold. Then, with no warning, no change to his satisfied expression, the older mech shifted.

The servos at the ninjabot's wrist pressed harder, biting into the soft bark below. Lockdown's weight scraped over his chassis, hot metal flaring with the friction of contact. One thick leg moved from the hold to slide between his own, grinding against sensitive circuitry. The focused heat of fear in Prowl's processor scattered through his core, white-hot shards sticking in his vital systems. He let out another puff of warm air, this one ending sharp against his vocals. He cast a confused glance up at Lockdown, who was just leaning down (to speak?) when – a digital note echoed loudly in the space between them.

A transmission. Prowl's confused systems had broadcast it aloud. Lockdown half nodded, smirk never slipping.

"Prowl here." If possible, Lockdown looked even _more_ smug at the shaking in his voice.

"Prowl, we've got a situation downtown." It was Prime. Of course it was Prime. "We need you here."

"Of course. I will … be there momentarily." Prowl thanked Primus his vocals were steadier than his processor.

The Autobot leader paused. "You all right?"

Lockdown shifted again, the smallest of movements reminding Prowl of a thousand points of contact. He steeled his processor.

"Fine," he said steadily, breaking the connection with a snap. A cycle later, Lockdown freed the smaller mech and retreated two steps. The sudden rush of air and freedom of his limbs almost sent Prowl to his knees.

"Go on, the _team_ is calling." Lockdown's gruff vocals treated the word like a curse. "We'll talk about my offer later."

Prowl blinked at him vapidly for a whole cycle before switching to alt mode and plunging into the foliage without a word. He was chased back to the city by smug laughter.


End file.
